A recent survey by Co-operative Insurance has found that the majority of motorists eat and drink while driving their autos. As much as 53 per cent of the 3,000 individuals questioned said that they occasionally eat some food or drink some type of beverage while operating a motor vehicle, with another 12 per cent admitting to smoking cigarettes while driving. Some 11 per cent claimed they prepared for work while driving, and six per cent said they put on make-up or got dressed.

According to Grant Mitchell of Co-operative Insurance, the results of the survey are alarming, as any task undertaken while behind the wheel has potentially deadly consequences. He said that drivers who do not pay full attention to driving can unnecessarily increase their chances of causing or being… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 26th, 2010

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has launched the first car sharing program in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, the latest implementation of its WeCar program, which offers 24-hour access to car hire for short term driving needs. The inaugural launch of the programs follows St Louis and Nashville as the only other US cities with a public version of the car sharing initiative.

According to Ryan Johnson, Enterprise’s vice president of operations for WeCar, the initiative provides a low-cost, hassle-free method of getting around town. He said that members can register through the WeCar website, receive a membership card, and reserve autos online. Mr Johnson went on to say that the membership card ensures that thievery will not occur, as the keys in the glove box are only accessed after swiping the… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 23rd, 2010

Two Budget Rent-A-Car employees were pistol-whipped by an armed assailant at their store in Titusville, Florida. The incident occurred approximated 09:00 on Wednesday, when a six-foot, two-inch tall black man burst into the premises and began issuing demands for cash. The two employees who were preparing to open the store for the day were hit with the pistol and suffered minor injuries, none of which were considered life-threatening.

The attempted robbery occurred at the Budget Rent-A-Car location on the corner of S Washington Avenue and S Terrier Trail, across from the Titusville High School. Police have confirmed that the robber did not take a rental vehicle, although they are still trying to determine if any cash was stolen. According to a police representative, the store primarily takes credit payments, and… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 22nd, 2010

Avis enjoyed tremendous success during the World Cup games in South Africa this summer, evidenced by a 200 per cent increase in revenue as compared to the same time a year prior. While many car rental firms saw sluggish performance during the football tournament, even to the point of having to decrease their fleet sizes due to poor demand, Avis bucked the trend and enjoyed a successful summer in cities all across South Africa.

According to Wayne Duvenage, Avis chief executive, his company took several steps to prepare for the games, which he believes is the reason for the incredible success. He said that one particular strategy that Avis undertook was to consult with the firm’s colleagues in Germany, host of the 2006 World Cup, in order to learn the… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 21st, 2010

Dollar Thrifty shareholders will have to wait nearly a month before they collectively consider the $1.3 billion proposal by Hertz Global Holdings to purchase their car hire firm. The meeting was originally scheduled for 18 August but was moved to 16 September after US federal regulators advised the company that additional time is needed for stock brokers to notify shareholders of their rights regarding the possible transaction.

Scott Thompson, Dollar Thrifty chief executive, said that the delay may be good for some, but disadvantageous for others. He went on to add that the Securities Exchange Commission’s (SEC) rules require 20 business days between the broker search date and the record date, hence the change. Mr Thompson also said that there is still anticipation of a possible bid by Avis Budget,… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 20th, 2010

Starting 15 August of this year, all persons living in New York City who have been convicted of drink driving offences will be required to pass a breath test before starting their auto. The breath test device, expected to be installed in over 4,000 autos within the first year of the new law, will prevent motorists from operating their vehicles if their blood-alcohol content (BAC) is above .025, roughly one-third the New York State legal limit of .08.

Motorists who have been convicted of drink driving offenses, even first time offenders, will be forced to blow into the breathalyser device each time they wish to drive their vehicle, and continue blowing at periodic intervals during their trip. If at any time the device registers a BAC reading of over .025,… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 19th, 2010

Car hires in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup games fell short of expectations as many people turned to public transportation as the primary means to travel around the city. McCarthy and Imperial Holdings, two major South African car hire firms, said that although they both increased their fleet sizes in anticipation of the games, the demand for car hire was much lower than they had originally forecast.

According to Brand Pretorious, McCarthy chief executive, his company increased the number of cars in its stock by almost 15 per cent, while Imperial increased the total of their available rental cars to 2000 prior to the start of the World Cup. He went on to add that the low amount of car hire reservations before the games led to a… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 16th, 2010

The US Department of Transportation has announced that an official investigation has concluded that the throttles in Toyota vehicles are not to blame for sudden acceleration problems experienced by consumers throughout the US. According to information provided by the Wall Street Journal regarding the report, some of the acceleration problems could have been caused by drivers stepping on the wrong pedal, leading to a sudden acceleration when they were attempting to slam on the breaks.

A spokesperson for Toyota refused to comment on the details of the Department of Transportation report. He said that the investigation is still ongoing, and did not want to prejudge its findings prior to its publication. Toyota has worked together with US regulatory officials by providing data recorders and miscellaneous findings from over 2,000 of… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 15th, 2010

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has launched an app on the Youth Media YouthWire Desktop Platform which will help thousands of university graduates find jobs. Youth Media, the premiere independent youth media network, is the largest media owner within the UK education field, and provides over 2.5 million students aged 14-25 with access to media related content. The Enterprise app uses the YouthWire network in 34 universities throughout the country, and will allow over 650,000 students to search for jobs online.

The Enterprise app provides potential employees with information regarding company backgrounds, cultures, and different employment opportunities. According to Justin Smith, Director of Youth Media, as ‘there are 70 graduates applying for every vacancy in the UK, companies know they need to sift through the market and identify the best candidates, and Enterprise… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 14th, 2010

The winner of The Carrentals.co.uk Video Challenge, a car-related video contest, will be awarded a new 16GB Apple iPad, the Cupertino-based company’s revolutionary device that has been selling out of stores all over the world. Anyone is free to enter, and in order to win an iPad, contestants must post a 90-second or less car-related video to their personal YouTube page and send the entry to the carrentals.co.uk site before 30 September 2010. The judges at carrentals.co.uk will spend two weeks deciding the winner, and will announce their decision on 14 October 2010.

Gareth Robinson, managing director at carrentals.co.uk, said that his company is pleased to sponsor an online video challenge with car-related content, as it helps demonstrate the importance… Read the full story

by Aadyn Taylor on July 13th, 2010